Fitchburg (Mass.) district gets $39.7 million state grant for new Crocker Elementary School

The Fitchburg (Mass.) school district has received a $39.7 million grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority to help replace the aging Crocker Elementary School.

The grant that will cover more than half of the projected $65 million price tag of the proposed new school, reports the Sentinel & Enterprise.

The district says the existing school, built in 1964, suffers from mechanical, electrical, plumbing, window, and roof deficiencies, in addition, the building doesn’t support the delivery of its educational program.

The school is expected have 114,714 square feet of space It will be built behind the existing Crocker Elementary.

The district is enhancing student's interactions with the environment by incorporating nature into the school through a design scheme called "biophilic design." It enables students to be more involved in nature and the outdoors.

Saam Architecture is the architect.